Memories of a Traveler

On Writing from the Heart Written on 2 Jan 2026   I started this journey of putting some thoughts on how I feel about something. Add the push from the people I worked with for five months in 2025. They are a publishing company. Naturally, they implanted this idea of me writing a book. I admit, the idea of writing a book and penning some of the thoughts, has been around for decades. I never actually got around to it. And if I do, I probably muster 2 -3 short write ups, and… that's it. Nothing else. Then, another 2-3 years passed, before another 2-3 write ups.   Why the writer's constipation? Many reasons.   One, the idea of an imposter syndrome will come and overwhelm me. Me questioning and doubting myself.   Two. Sharing your thoughts, borders on making a confession of your sins and faults. As they say, confession is not good for the soul. Especially other people's soul as they read my write ups.   Three. This is probably, the most single factor. What if the boo...

On Being Good Parents Yesterday, 7 Jan 2026, I had the privilege of babysitting my no longer baby, 11 yo and 8 yo grandsons.   While we were stopped at a traffic light, my older grandson noticed a spider on the windshield.   Both boys got excited on seeing a spider. I told my grandsons, that spider is harmless. They looked at me like I am an arachnologist. They asked me, "how do I know it is harmless?". I told them, that when I was at their age, my friends and I would go inside some bushes somewhere, and catch spiders. We would keep them in matchboxes. Later we would put them in another bigger box with another spider to see them fight to the death. Note: Children, DO NOT do this. It is cruel and wrong.   If you have children growing up in the urban areas, you will noticed, our children are not so exposed to seeing bugs and even some plants.   We live in a hygienic, sanitary, antiseptic sterile world. More so, since the COVID19 epidemic of 2020. We still have sanitize...

On Go West…  life is peaceful there   (Go west) in the open air (Go west) where the skies are blue (Go west) this is what we're gonna do Go west, this is what we're gonna do Go west   I was listening to Spotify this morning with my almost 2-year-old grandson. Since it was raining, we could only play around under covered driveway. I was putting on some 80s and 90s dancing disco beat songs. My grandson was prancing around listening to the songs. Yes, grandad is brainwashing grandson for some oldies songs.   Then this song came on. Go West by Pet Shop Boys. It is a remake of the 1979 version by Village People, with a slight twist to the lyrics.   When I heard the song, either by Village People or Pet Shop Boys, back then, it reminded me of my lessons in American Literature back in US. Go west is a retelling of the glorified American history and folklore called Manifest Destiny.  The term was coined in 1845 by a journalist named John O'Sullivan. It describ...